Propeller spinner assembly



y 1956 w. BLANCHARD, JR., ETAL 2,745,501

PROPELLER SPINNER ASSEMBLY 2 SheetsShee1 1 Filed March 13, 1952 IN V EN TOR5 WAILACZ BLANL'HHRD JR DA W0 0. BONE 5/2/44, fiwwmzm THf/fl AWN-"(5Y5 May 15, 1956 W. BLANCHARD, JR., ET AL PROPELLER SPINNER ASSEMBLY Filed March 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm N 5 Wm H W m [-8 0 B0. 7 a M Am nu m W0 United States Patent 6 PROPELLER SPINNER ASSEMBLY Wallace Blanchard, Jr., and David D. Bows, Dayton,

Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MiclL, a corporation of Delaware Application March 13, 1952, Serial No. 276,311

3 Claims. (Cl. 179-16923) The present invention relates to spinners for propellers and more particularly to spinners for variable pitch propellers of the contra-rotation type.

One of our objects is to provide a spinner assembly for an aircraft propeller wherein the turbulent air flow,

caused by blade shanks during rotation of the propeller,

will be reduced to a minimum.

The aforementioned and other objects are accom plished in the present invention by providing a spinner shell comprising substantially a parabolic surface of revolution'. The spinner shell includes a front or nose portion, which is secured to and rotates with an outboard propeller element, and an oppositely rotating rear portion, which is secured to an inboard propeller element. Each spinner portion is provided with a plurality of apertures or cutouts, disposed substantially 120 apart,

' through which blades of the propeller elements protrude.

Each blade of the outboard propeller element has attached thereto around its shank portion, a cult element which perfects the airfoil contour of the blade portion projecting through the spinner cutout. The cuff elements are movable with the blades during pitch changing movements thereof. The outer edges of the cuffs merge into the blade surfaces, and the inner edges of the cuffs are attached to a two-part cover member which closes the cutouts. The spinner shell is provided with a radially inward extending well adjacent each cutout. The inner circumferential edges of the wells are provided with a resilient sealing member. Disposed in each well and mounted for rotation therein is a seal assembly, which is anchored to the propeller blade. The inner edge of the seal assembly cooperates with the seal member of the well to prevent air leakage at the cutouts. The outer edge of the seal assembly is fastened to the two-part cover member. The cover member perfects the spinner contour at only one predetermined pitch position of the blades. At all other pitch positions of the blades, the spinner contour is somewhat disrupted by the cover members, which also serve to retain the outboard propeller blade cuff elements from moving outwardly under the urge of centrifugal force. Additional clamping means are provided on the cuff for ease of assembly.

Further obiects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown, and wherein similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a propeller provided with the spinner of the present invention.

Figs. 2 and 2A are enlarged longitudinal views taken along lines 2--2 of Fig. 1, partly in section and partly in elevation of the nose and rear portions, respectively, of the spinner shell.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cutout in the nose portion of the spinner shell taken generally along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

"ice

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cutout on the rear portion of the spinner shell taken along lines 4--4 of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cuff clamping means.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pintle utilized in the cufi clamping means Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along'lines 7-7' of Fig. 5. i

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a'fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the sealing means in Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a spinner shell 1 is shown having a plurality of cutouts 2, 4, 6 in a nose portion 8 of the spinner shell. A rear portion 9 of the spinner shell is likewise provided with a plurality of cutouts 3, 5 and 7. The cutouts in each spinner portion are substantially apart, and the nose and rear spinner portions rotate in opposite directions. As is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 2A, the front or nose portion 8 of the spinner shell is anchored to an outboard propeller element 10 by means of bulkheads 12 and 14. The rear portion 9 of the spinner shell is likewise anchored to an inboard propeller element 11 by means of bulkheads 13 and 15. The outboard propeller element 10 is provided with three blades 16, 18 and 20, which are rotatably mounted in a hub 22 for movement about their longitudinal axes. Attached to the outboard hub 22 is an outboard regulator 24-, which automatically controls the pitch changing movements of the outboard propeller element blades in a manner disclosed in the Martin et al. Patent 2,421,514. The inboard propeller element 11 is likewise provided with three blades, only one, 17, of which is shown in Fig. 2A. The blades of the inboard propeller element are likewise rotatably mounted for movement about their longitudinal axes in a propeller hub 19, which has rigidly attached thereto a regulator 21. The inboard and outboard propeller elements rotate in opposite directions, and hence the spinner portions associated therewith rotate in opposite directions.

The configuration of the entire spinner shell comprising front and rear portions is a substantially parabolic surface of revolution. The spinner portions are designed to blend in with the nacelle of the craft and provide proper fairing for the hubs so that streamlining of the craft is afiorded. The construction of the front or nose portion 8 of the spinner will first be described in detail. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the cutout 2 is shown as being substantially circular. Extending radially inward of the spinner shell and within'cutout 2 is a truncated cylindrical member, or well, 26, the outer edge of which is flange connected at 28 to the spinner shell 8. The inner circumferential edge of the, member 26 is flanged inwardly and has attached thereto a resilient seal member 3%. The resilient seal member 34) is substantially V-shaped in cross section with one leg of the V being attached to the mm- 7 her 26, and the other leg of the V extending upwardly into a well formed by member 26.

The blade 16 of the outboard propeller element projects through the cutout 2. The blade 16 is provided with a shank portion 32, which'merges with an airfoil portion at one end and a root-end portion 34 at the other end. The root-end portion 34 of the blade is mounted for rotation in the hub 22. A cuff ring 36 is formed as an integral part of the blade 16 on the shank portion thereof. Secured to the cult ring 36 is a bulkhead assembly 38, which is attached to a seal assembly 40, by any suitable means, such as rivets as shown in Fig. 8. The seal assembly 40 comprises a truncated cylindrical mem ber 42 of smaller diameter than the member 26. The member 42 has its outer circumferential edge in substantial alignment with the contour ofthe nose portion shown in Fig. 8.

. the blade 16; and another portion 50, which engages the camber portion of the blade 16. The bipartite cover members 44 close the cutouts and perfectthe contour of the front portion 8 of the spinner at only one pitch position of the blades 16, 18 and 2t). The particular pitch position of the outboard propeller blade at which the cover members 44 perfect the contour is a matter of design. For example, it may be desirable to perfect the spinner contour and reduce the air turbulence to a minimum at the cruising angle of the blades.

cuff element 52 comprises a member 53 of generally airfoil configuration. The inner end of the cuff member 58 is provided with a flange 60. Screw devices 62 secure the member 58 to the bipartite cover member 44. This construction retains the cult element 52 and prevents it from moving outwardly under the urge of centn'fugal force when the propeller is rotating. The outer edge of the member 58 merges with the leading and trailing edges of the blade 16 and also merges with the thrust and camber surfaces thereof. Themember 58 is of onepiece construction, and the two ends thereof 64 and 66,

are secured together adjacent the trailing edge of the blade 16. V

1 As is shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the ends 64 and 66 of the member 58 have attached thereto bracket members 68 and 70, respectively. The outer edges of the bracket members 68 and 70 are notched and the remaining portions are bentinto loops 72 and 74,respectively. As the loops 72 and 7,4,are'in staggered relationship, when the ends 64 and 66 are forced together, the respective loops on eachof the bracket members 68 and 70 intermesh and provide an opening through which a pin or pintle member 76 may be inserted. When the ends 64 and 66 of the members 68 and 70 are pressed together and the pintle member 76 is inserted, the upper edge of the member 58 will be clamped against the surfaces of the blade 16. One end 78 of the pintle 76 is bent and formed with an eye 80. A screw device 82 passes through the eye 80 and retains the pintle 76 against a bracket 84 which is integral with the member 58. In this manner, the cult elements are removably attached to the blades of the outboard propeller element 16.

The rear portion 9 of the spinner is similar to the construction of the front portion 8 of the spinner. .That is, it is likewise provided with cutouts, and as is shown in Figs. 2A and 4, the cutout 3 is provided with an inwardly extending member 23 forming a well. The inner circumferential edge of the member 23 is likewise provided with a seal member 25, which cooperates with the inner circumferential edge of a member 27, which forms part of the seal assembly of the rear portion 9 of the spinner. Member 27 is likewise anchored to a bulkhead 29, which is, in turn, anchored to a cuff ring 31 on the shank portion 33 of the blade 17. A bipartite cover member 35 is rigidly attached to the member 27 and likewise closes the cutout opening 3. The two parts of the cover memher 35 are provided with embossed portions adjacent the opening through which the blade extends. Similarly, the bipartite cover member 35 only perfect the contour 'of the spinner at one particular position of the inboard propeller-blades. At all other pitch'positions of the blade 17, the spinner contour is somewhat disrupted by the cover member 35. The only difference in the construction of the spinner assembly with respect to the in board and outboard propeller elements, is that cull elements are not attached to the blades of the inboard This is so because the rear portion of propeller element. the spinner shell is a sufficient distance fromthe axis of rotation that the portions of the blades projecting through the cutouts in the rear portion of the spinner shell are of airfoil cross section;

Hence, cufi elements are not required. a

It is apparent from the aforegoing description thatthe' spinnerconstmction of the present invention'will reduce the turbulent air flow caused by the rotation'of the propeller to a minimum at any selected pitch position of the blades. That the propeller spinner can be designed so that the bipartite cover members perfect the contour of the spinner shell at the cutouts when the blades are'at any selected optimum angular position. At all other blade pitch positions, the spinner contour will be somewhat disrupted by the cover members, but by reason of the cooperating seal assemblies and resilient seals in the wells adjacent each cutout, air leakage at the cutouts is prevented at all times. In this manner undesirable turbulence in the air flow across the spinner contour is reduced at all pitch positions at the blades. Moreover, by reason of the cuff clamping means associated with the cuff elements of the outboard propeller element, it is a very simple operation to remove and replace the cult elements should the occasion arise.

, While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. in combination with a propeller having blades, each of which is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis, a spinner shell mounted on said propeller having cutouts through which the blades project, means attached to said shell and forming a well extending radially'inward of the peripheral surfacerof said shell adjacent each of said cutouts, a seal assembly attached to each of said blades and comprising a truncated cylindrical member projecting into said Well and rotatably supported therein, means attached to the inner circumferential edge of said well for sealingly engaging the inner edge of said truncated cylindrical member, means attached to each seal assembly and blade for substantially closing each cutout, and a cufi element attached to said last recited means for perfecting the airfoil contour ofthe shank portion of each blade, the connection between said cuff element and the said last recited means preventing outward movement of said cuff element under the urge of centrifugal force.

2. In a propeller assembly, a hub, a plurality of blades journaled in said hub for rotation about their longitudinal axes to different angular positions, a spinner shell supported on said hub and having a plurality of cutouts through which said blades extend, said spinner shell com prising a substantially parabolic surface of revolution having a smooth outer periphery, a truncated cylindrical well member attached to said shell adjacent each cutout, each well member being disposed wholly .within the spinner shell and extending radially inward thereof, a truncated cylindrical seal member attached to each blade within the spinner shell and disposed within said well member for rotation relative thereto, seal means carried by one of said members and engaging the other of said members adjacent each cutout, and cover means attached to each seal member for substantially closing each cutout and perfecting the smooth outer periphery of the spinner shell at a predetermined angular position of each propeller blade.

3. In a propeller assembly, a pair axially spaced oppositely rotating hubs, each hub having a plurality of blades journaled therein for rotation about theirJongitudinal axes to difierent angular positions, a spinner assembly enclosing said hubs comprising a substantially parabolic surface of revolution having a smooth outer periphery, said spinner assembly including a front spinner shell supported on and rotatable with one of said hubs and a rear spinner shell supported on and rotatable with the other or" said hubs, each spinner shell having a plurality of cutouts through which the propeller blades ex tend, a truncated cylindrical well member attached to said spinner shells adjacent each cutout, each well memher being disposed wholly within its respective spinner shell and extending radially inward thereof, a truncated cylindrical seal member attached to each blade Within the spinner shell and disposed Within said well member for rotation relative thereto, seal means carried by one of said members and engaging the other of said members adjacent each cutout, cover means attached to each seal member for substantially closing each cutout and perfecting the smooth outer periphery of the spinner shell at a predetermined angular position of each propeller blade, and a cutf element attached to the cover means of each cutout in the front spinner shell for perfecting the airfoil contour of portions of the blades extending through the cutouts of the front spinner shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,187 Lansing July 26, 1938 2,289,400 Woods July 14, 1942 2,309,466 Martin Jan. 26, 1943 2,329,606 Goodman Sept. 14, 1943 2,375,673 Marshall Mar. 8, 1945 2,427,166 Teeter Sept. 9, 1947 2,471,895 Radtke May 31, 1949 2,503,451 Palmatier Apr. 11, 1950 2,522,083 Avondofiio Sept. 12, 1950 

